Pioneer species

Definition

Kanuka, willow, ohia lehua and rosebay willowherb are all pioneers, and several of them are important honey plants precisely because they cover large areas of disturbed ground quickly. Pioneer flora is why regenerating land and brownfield sites frequently support more bees than the farmland around them.

Honey records that discuss this

• Kānuka honeySweet, clean and lightly aromatic, with a herbal-resinous thread that hints at its relation to mānuka without any of the medicinal weight.
• Tepezcohuite honeyWarm and floral with a faint tannic dryness, reflecting the tree's very high tannin content. An agreeable everyday honey.

Plant records that discuss this

• KanukaAn excellent nectar and pollen source across the New Zealand summer.